1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to collars for animals, mostly dogs, but any such animal collar to which it is customary to attach various tags and medallions. More particularly, the invention relates to the means of attaching such tags and medallions to the collar.
2. Description of Prior Art
Numerous types of collars for pets and livestock are known. They all have, however, disadvantages in that they either cannot accommodate various types and sizes of identification tags and/or securely hold the tags in such a way that they are readily accessible for reading.
The most common attempts to resolve these disadvantages include collars that have a band that runs through a metal ring or have a metal ring suspended from the band. The identification tags are then attached to this ring, usually by means of an S-hook or spring-clip. This configuration also has disadvantages in that the identification tags tend to hang on the underside of the animal""s neck, thereby making them difficult to access for reading. Another disadvantage of this configuration is that since the tags are hanging loose from the collar, and since the tags and hardware for attaching them to the collar are most often made of metal, they typically cause a jingling noise when the animal moves. The noise caused by the animal""s movement can be annoying or even detrimental, as in the case of dogs used for hunting in situations where stealth is desired. In addition, when the tags are in a hanging position, they can be pulled loose when they become caught in foliage or the wires of kennel cages and fences. Even worse, if the tag is not pulled loose in such a situation, the result can be injury or death to the animal.
A commonly available alternative to the previously referenced configuration is a metal identification plate that is permanently affixed to the collar band by means of rivets, staples, etc. While this configuration does offer the possibility of reducing noise and permitting visibility of the tag, it has two distinct disadvantages. The first is that this configuration can only be used with identification plates that are manufactured for this specific purpose. This factor eliminates the use of municipal identification of vaccination tags that are most often designed to be affixed to the collar in the traditional xe2x80x9changingxe2x80x9d configuration. The second disadvantage is that once the identification plate is affixed to the collar, it is in place permanently. The only way to replace such an identification plate would be through the destruction of the plate. Again, this configuration is not desirable for use with tags that must be replaced on a regular basis, such as the above-mentioned municipal tags.
Another technique, described by Cunningham (U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,879), makes use of a transparent window integral to the collar band which permits the insertion of an identification strip. As with the above-referenced prior art, this configuration is not well suited to use with common municipal animal identification tags, as it is designed to be used with a flexible, custom-made plastic strip to be displayed in the collar window.
Kelly (U.S. Pat. No. 1,539,744), teaches the attachment of common animal identification tags to a collar in such a way that they are readily visible and will not make noise when the animal moves. The disadvantage of Kelly is that it consists of a housing for each individual tag, a housing that is independent of the collar itself. In order to change the tag, the collar must be unbuckled and removed from the animal, the tag housing must be removed from the collar, and the housing must be disassembled. In addition to the inconvenience of this procedure, this invention also has the disadvantage of bulkiness that could make it difficult to use with more than one identification tag, as each tag would necessitate a separate housing.
What is needed, therefore, is a collar that will securely hold a plurality of tags in a manner that will allow the tags to be easily read and also prevent the tags from contacting each other in such a way as to cause a jingling noise when the collar wearer moves. What is further needed is such a collar that will accommodate tags and medallions of various sizes and shapes and provide easy attachment and removal of the tags without having to remove the collar from the animal.
For the above reasons, it is an object of the present invention to provide a collar that securely holds tags, in a variety of shapes and sizes, in a way that prevents the tags from contacting each other so as to cause a jingling noise. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a collar that will readily present the tags for easy reading. It is a yet further object to provide such a collar that provides easy attachment and removal of the tags without having to remove the collar from the animal.
The objects of the invention are achieved by providing a collar according to the present invention that permits tags and medallions to be attached to it in such a way that they are securely contained within the body of the collar. The collar band is made of two layers of material, an inner layer and an outer layer, stitched together to provide a means of affixing the tags between the layers such that the tags are secured in place, yet are readily visible and removable. A portion of the collar features an opening provided in the two stitched-together layers, which permits the insertion and removal of tags. The opening is closable by means of a conventional hook-and-loop type fastener material such as VELCRO that lines the inside surface of each layer. Thus, the two layers of material can be easily re-opened to permit removal or addition of tags.